For What Its Worth

[Enhance]

8 dropped passes 4 of them were TDs 2 were by Paul and 28 missed tackles most of them resulted in over half the rushing yards. Paul said, " All I can think is that I wasn't looking the ball all the way in."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/topstories/stories/102010dnspohuskereshangover.1d31c2e.html

Or he was trying to be impressive and make something happen after the play like he always seems to do.

Either way, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Paul's first big drop not a touchdown grab? I remember the ball going right through his arms, but I thought he was inside the ten yard line and not actually in the end zone.

 

[Husker Z]

I said this after the SDSU game and I said it again after the UT game and players confirmed it with their comments about the practices leading up to those games. They flat out got caught reading headlines and didn't focus in practice. One thing that has been VERY consistent in the Bo Pelini era is this team plays how it practices. It's harder to get a read now than it was in Bo's beginning, he was VERY easy to read on a Thursday or Friday on how the week went. If the week went well, we played lights out, if the week went crappy, we played crappy. Now, he keeps it pretty close to the vest, but before, you could pretty easily place your bets on the game after listening to his week end interviews.

I fully believe there was a combination of the players being WAY too tight because of the coaches, the university, the fans, you name it, over hyping the UT game and reading and believing that since UT had 2 losses and we rolled KSU and UW that we'd simply roll our helmets on the field, score 40, give up less than 20 and go celebrate. UT obviously had other ideas and our players and coaches got tighter and more mistakes came out as a result.

Anyway, just my $.02.

 

[Skull&Bones]

Plain and simple....Bo down played the Texas game all season. You don't think that rubs off on the team. Granted Bo didn't drop those passes but he does control the tempo of the game. The D was not fired up and didn't want redemption bad enough. Watson dailed in a few good plays but the play calling was waaaay to conservative against a "nothing to lose" Texas team. I believe we had the better product on the field Saturday and we didn't sell it. Every big game we run a conservative offense and try winning it with our Defense. It's time to take the training wheels off and stop pu&&y footing around. We will never be a legit top 5 team relying solely on our Defense.

 

[74Hunter]

Plain and simple....Bo down played the Texas game all season. You don't think that rubs off on the team. Granted Bo didn't drop those passes but he does control the tempo of the game. The D was not fired up and didn't want redemption bad enough. Watson dailed in a few good plays but the play calling was waaaay to conservative against a "nothing to lose" Texas team. I believe we had the better product on the field Saturday and we didn't sell it. Every big game we run a conservative offense and try winning it with our Defense. It's time to take the training wheels off and stop pu&&y footing around. We will never be a legit top 5 team relying solely on our Defense.

Did he really down play the game, or put too much emphasis on it? All I've heard since last December is that this game was payback. IDK if it was downplayed too much, or over emphasized, but either way, the team was not ready to compete appropriately.

I would believe what the OP said, the team thought they could show up and whoop that a$$. But they didn't. It showed with penalties, drops, and piss poor tackling.

 

[robsker]

My father was speaking to his co worker who went to Dorsey Highschool which is in South LA. He was a track star and also football recruit for USC but decided to take the track schollie. One of his cousins went to nebraska, and he's knows alot about football and knows plenty of former great athletes all over california. he's met J. "the jet" rodgers before as well. He knows my father and I are huge nebraska fans and he watches every game he can. With his experience in playing football for a legitimate program, knowing athletes, speaking to them about their experiences and everything. He flat out told my dad that the reason Nebraska lost was that they went in thinking all they had to do was show up and they would win. He said, don't buy anything Bo or players say, they watch college football live all the time, they read all the message boards and beat writing sites. they hear it all. He said Nebraska knew they were the better team and that was the problem, and said, thats the coaches fault.

In no way is NU better than Texas. Texas has 15 5 star and 40 4 star athletes on their roster --- NU has 1 -- 5 star and about 18-22 --- 4 star players. Now... of course recruit rankings are but one measure of talent and not necessarily totally accurate... but Texas is bigger, faster, quicker, deeper and will end up on a yearly average sending more players to the NFL than NU. Stop with this nonsense --- I love NU and dislike Texas with a passion.... but Texas is far more talented than is NU... by every measured metric one can fathom.

Now talent is not the only factor in on-field success... But people... get real... the Huskers do not have Tier 1 talent (like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, USC). Talent at the next tier? Sure ... along with the next 10-12 programs.

...

 

[ESPY]

Considering how easy it is to get info about college football via the Internets and other media, it's gotta be incredibly hard to avoid those types of distractions. Our culture is drenched in give-it-to-me-now info, and that goes for our players and coaches too, so I can't imagine how difficult it is to brush that stuff to the side. I'd think it's much harder to that these days compared to back in the 90s...or really anytime before this decade.

In spite of that, we gotta find a way to do it game in and game out. I could go on for days about this, but I'll just keep it at that for now.

 

[knapplc]

In no way is NU better than Texas. Texas has 15 5 star and 40 4 star athletes on their roster --- NU has 1 -- 5 star and about 18-22 --- 4 star players. Now... of course recruit rankings are but one measure of talent and not necessarily totally accurate... but Texas is bigger, faster, quicker, deeper and will end up on a yearly average sending more players to the NFL than NU. Stop with this nonsense --- I love NU and dislike Texas with a passion.... but Texas is far more talented than is NU... by every measured metric one can fathom.

Now talent is not the only factor in on-field success... But people... get real... the Huskers do not have Tier 1 talent (like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, USC). Talent at the next tier? Sure ... along with the next 10-12 programs.

These conversations are interesting. If we drop 1/4 fewer passes, we're talking about a national championship right now. Two TDs is all it would have taken, and we had them in our hands in this game. Because we had a bad game catching the ball, we've suddenly decided that Texas is light-years ahead of Nebraska?

Sorry. If Texas was that much better than Nebraska we wouldn't have been in a position to win that game, and several times over to boot.

 

[robsker]

In no way is NU better than Texas. Texas has 15 5 star and 40 4 star athletes on their roster --- NU has 1 -- 5 star and about 18-22 --- 4 star players. Now... of course recruit rankings are but one measure of talent and not necessarily totally accurate... but Texas is bigger, faster, quicker, deeper and will end up on a yearly average sending more players to the NFL than NU. Stop with this nonsense --- I love NU and dislike Texas with a passion.... but Texas is far more talented than is NU... by every measured metric one can fathom.

Now talent is not the only factor in on-field success... But people... get real... the Huskers do not have Tier 1 talent (like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, USC). Talent at the next tier? Sure ... along with the next 10-12 programs.

These conversations are interesting. If we drop 1/4 fewer passes, we're talking about a national championship right now. Two TDs is all it would have taken, and we had them in our hands in this game. Because we had a bad game catching the ball, we've suddenly decided that Texas is light-years ahead of Nebraska?

Sorry. If Texas was that much better than Nebraska we wouldn't have been in a position to win that game, and several times over to boot.

Knapp --- you and I are usually are on the same page --- for the most part. We probably are here too. Texas is quite a bit ahead of NU talent wise. You likely agree (I'd imagine... though maybe not?). But I'd argue that typically Texas under-performs and the X's and O's side of their staff has not done, generally speaking, that well. Also, they often play flat and play down. They are, in many respects, like USC under Carrol --- ridiculously talented but notoriously under-performing.

My point is this, NU has, of late, been over-achieving (which is cool --- being Top 10 with not quite Top 10 talent). NU was a few mis-cues from winning the Texas game --- but were generally out-classed. Football is often like that --- one team may outplay the other by a great deal and yet "barely" win. Now Texas out played NU by a pretty large margin --- not quite dominating... but close. Yet... the score did not reflect that margin so much and... had we not dropped passes NU might have won.

Again... my point. Texas cannot "upset" NU... even at home and even if they dogged much of the season prior to that point. And... if NU thought they were a "better" team going in ... they were smoking crack. They were not. And... if they did think that then this should have been a wake-up call.

 

[74Hunter]

In no way is NU better than Texas. Texas has 15 5 star and 40 4 star athletes on their roster --- NU has 1 -- 5 star and about 18-22 --- 4 star players. Now... of course recruit rankings are but one measure of talent and not necessarily totally accurate... but Texas is bigger, faster, quicker, deeper and will end up on a yearly average sending more players to the NFL than NU. Stop with this nonsense --- I love NU and dislike Texas with a passion.... but Texas is far more talented than is NU... by every measured metric one can fathom.

Now talent is not the only factor in on-field success... But people... get real... the Huskers do not have Tier 1 talent (like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, USC). Talent at the next tier? Sure ... along with the next 10-12 programs.

These conversations are interesting. If we drop 1/4 fewer passes, we're talking about a national championship right now. Two TDs is all it would have taken, and we had them in our hands in this game. Because we had a bad game catching the ball, we've suddenly decided that Texas is light-years ahead of Nebraska?

Sorry. If Texas was that much better than Nebraska we wouldn't have been in a position to win that game, and several times over to boot.

Knapp --- you and I are usually are on the same page --- for the most part. We probably are here too. Texas is quite a bit ahead of NU talent wise. You likely agree (I'd imagine... though maybe not?). But I'd argue that typically Texas under-performs and the X's and O's side of their staff has not done, generally speaking, that well. Also, they often play flat and play down. They are, in many respects, like USC under Carrol --- ridiculously talented but notoriously under-performing.

My point is this, NU has, of late, been over-achieving (which is cool --- being Top 10 with not quite Top 10 talent). NU was a few mis-cues from winning the Texas game --- but were generally out-classed. Football is often like that --- one team may outplay the other by a great deal and yet "barely" win. Now Texas out played NU by a pretty large margin --- not quite dominating... but close. Yet... the score did not reflect that margin so much and... had we not dropped passes NU might have won.

Again... my point. Texas cannot "upset" NU... even at home and even if they dogged much of the season prior to that point. And... if NU thought they were a "better" team going in ... they were smoking crack. They were not. And... if they did think that then this should have been a wake-up call.

And this is why recruiting services are a crap shoot. I don't care about how many stars a guy has coming out of high school, from what I saw last Saturday, texa$$ did NOT have more talent on the field, with the exception of DL and LB.

On paper yes. Are they deeper with quality players, maybe. But what we saw on the field, no. I won't buy that. We did if for years under TO, and the talent gap bewteen those high 3 stars and the lowest 5 star is slim. Besides, we see the South Carolinas beat the Bamas, and the Wisconsins beat the Ohio States.

 

[irafreak]

My father was speaking to his co worker who went to Dorsey Highschool which is in South LA. He was a track star and also football recruit for USC but decided to take the track schollie. One of his cousins went to nebraska, and he's knows alot about football and knows plenty of former great athletes all over california. he's met J. "the jet" rodgers before as well. He knows my father and I are huge nebraska fans and he watches every game he can. With his experience in playing football for a legitimate program, knowing athletes, speaking to them about their experiences and everything. He flat out told my dad that the reason Nebraska lost was that they went in thinking all they had to do was show up and they would win. He said, don't buy anything Bo or players say, they watch college football live all the time, they read all the message boards and beat writing sites. they hear it all. He said Nebraska knew they were the better team and that was the problem, and said, thats the coaches fault.

I agree. Texas losing to UCLA killed us. Texas comes in undefeated we get a better effort. I believe it.

 

[irafreak]

I said this after the SDSU game and I said it again after the UT game and players confirmed it with their comments about the practices leading up to those games. They flat out got caught reading headlines and didn't focus in practice. One thing that has been VERY consistent in the Bo Pelini era is this team plays how it practices. It's harder to get a read now than it was in Bo's beginning, he was VERY easy to read on a Thursday or Friday on how the week went. If the week went well, we played lights out, if the week went crappy, we played crappy. Now, he keeps it pretty close to the vest, but before, you could pretty easily place your bets on the game after listening to his week end interviews.

I fully believe there was a combination of the players being WAY too tight because of the coaches, the university, the fans, you name it, over hyping the UT game and reading and believing that since UT had 2 losses and we rolled KSU and UW that we'd simply roll our helmets on the field, score 40, give up less than 20 and go celebrate. UT obviously had other ideas and our players and coaches got tighter and more mistakes came out as a result.

Anyway, just my $.02.

Yes this is everything for me. The overconfidence yet unable to handle the pressure. That's why the slow start....then all the little mistakes.

 

[PaulCrewe]

In no way is NU better than Texas. Texas has 15 5 star and 40 4 star athletes on their roster --- NU has 1 -- 5 star and about 18-22 --- 4 star players. Now... of course recruit rankings are but one measure of talent and not necessarily totally accurate... but Texas is bigger, faster, quicker, deeper and will end up on a yearly average sending more players to the NFL than NU. Stop with this nonsense --- I love NU and dislike Texas with a passion.... but Texas is far more talented than is NU... by every measured metric one can fathom.

Now talent is not the only factor in on-field success... But people... get real... the Huskers do not have Tier 1 talent (like Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida, USC). Talent at the next tier? Sure ... along with the next 10-12 programs.

These conversations are interesting. If we drop 1/4 fewer passes, we're talking about a national championship right now. Two TDs is all it would have taken, and we had them in our hands in this game. Because we had a bad game catching the ball, we've suddenly decided that Texas is light-years ahead of Nebraska?

Sorry. If Texas was that much better than Nebraska we wouldn't have been in a position to win that game, and several times over to boot.

Knapp --- you and I are usually are on the same page --- for the most part. We probably are here too. Texas is quite a bit ahead of NU talent wise. You likely agree (I'd imagine... though maybe not?). But I'd argue that typically Texas under-performs and the X's and O's side of their staff has not done, generally speaking, that well. Also, they often play flat and play down. They are, in many respects, like USC under Carrol --- ridiculously talented but notoriously under-performing.

My point is this, NU has, of late, been over-achieving (which is cool --- being Top 10 with not quite Top 10 talent). NU was a few mis-cues from winning the Texas game --- but were generally out-classed. Football is often like that --- one team may outplay the other by a great deal and yet "barely" win. Now Texas out played NU by a pretty large margin --- not quite dominating... but close. Yet... the score did not reflect that margin so much and... had we not dropped passes NU might have won.

Again... my point. Texas cannot "upset" NU... even at home and even if they dogged much of the season prior to that point. And... if NU thought they were a "better" team going in ... they were smoking crack. They were not. And... if they did think that then this should have been a wake-up call.

+1

Robsker, I totally agree with ya, especially the bolded parts. If you put any kind of a typical Horn offense with this years Horn defense you have a hell of a scary team. I figured going into this they would be tough to match up with.

My biggest thing this year was if the OLine had really improved that much or if we were getting the "smoke and mirrors" job. Texas provided me with what I had thought. NU is still pretty mediocre up front. The effort has been great, but I am still not a Barney fan. The only one out there that may cut it with some of the pipeline teams is Ricky. I had heard all summer camp about the depth of the Oline, but where has al this depth gone? Where is Yoshi, Qvuale? The rest of the year I see the line continue to push around weaker units and struggling with stronger ones.

Yes, this team is talented and one of the better teams out there, but no they are not on that big stage yet.

 

[Vince R.]

Whoa Whoa? talent wise texas is way better? hmmm, id love to argue that, and this is about the starters. and im speaking about overall talent

Taylor Martinez>Gilbert

Our RBs>their rbs

Our top 3 wr's (minus the drops)> their wr's

Our O-Line>their Oline

Our Dline= or < their Dline

Lavonte>> over anyone they have

Prince> Aaron

Dennard>Brown

Gomes> Gideon

Hagg>over anyone else..

Trust me, Nebraska had more pro potential on both sides of the ball then texas did..as far as depth, maybe texas but id say after next years recruiting class, that shi& changes dramatically

 

[zoogs]

Whoa Whoa? talent wise texas is way better? hmmm, id love to argue that, and this is about the starters. and im speaking about overall talent

Taylor Martinez>Gilbert

Our RBs>their rbs

Our top 3 wr's (minus the drops)> their wr's

Our O-Line>their Oline

Our Dline= or < their Dline

Lavonte>> over anyone they have

Prince> Aaron

Dennard>Brown

Gomes> Gideon

Hagg>over anyone else..

Trust me, Nebraska had more pro potential on both sides of the ball then texas did..as far as depth, maybe texas but id say after next years recruiting class, that shi& changes dramatically

Taylor>Gilbert is nuts. Maybe in fantasy college football, but who plays that, anyway. And Prince/Dennard are probably on par with their corner tandem, also one of the best in the nation supposedly. Don't know much about Gideon but I thought he was really good. Unfamiliar with the rest of the Texas D, but I'd hazard a guess that their DL is a step above ours. (And nonetheless we did well protecting the QB).

I wouldn't say Texas is more talented than us, but I see these two teams as pretty on par in terms of talent overall. A very good matchup. Texas, surprisingly, dropped the previous two matches. We didn't, but we didn't play anyone close to as good either.

 

[Vince R.]

well im speaking on talent. taylor's issue isnt ability, its mechanics.. Taylor's running ability makes him a more talented player than gilbert. If rivals and scout could go back and re evaluate taylor, id say mid to high 4